Ghana is endowed with abundant mineral resources, particularly gold, making it a prime target for both legal and illegal mining operations.
Renowned reggae icon and UN Ambassador, Rocky Dawuni has issued a passionate plea to Ghanaians to take decisive action against the illegal mining activities, known as galamsey, that are destroying the country’s natural resources.
Dawuni expressed deep concern over the destruction of water bodies and other vital resources due to galamsey.
“Imagine the value of water, and we are destroying all our water bodies because of an immediate acquisition of wealth. It is such a curse and we need to rise up as a people and make sure that we focus on this galamsey.
“It’s crazy because as an ambassador for the environment, for the United Nations, for Africa, you can imagine I go to all these conferences, and people just walk up to me from different countries and ask, ‘What is going on?’ And I tell them, ‘I don’t know’. I have no words to explain.”
Rocky Dawuni
He highlighted the severe environmental and health impacts, urging citizens to recognize the long-term consequences of these activities.
“So to all my people, let’s stand up and stop this because it’s robbing our future. It’s destroying our livelihood. It’s putting cyanide, mercury, all these heavy metals into our food chain, and then all of that is going into our waterways.
“So imagine that when you open your tap and you drink some of this stuff that is in the rivers, we are connected to the rivers ourselves. We are part of this whole network of life.”
Rocky Dawuni
The reggae icon asked netizens to imagine the water drank and cooked had heavy metal in it and how lives would be sustained.
Rocky Dawuni’s calls join that of the other well-known personalities who have called for urgent action to be taken concerning galamsey.
Meanwhile, the Trades Union Congress has threatened to launch demonstrations and a nationwide strike if the government does not take decisive action against illegal mining by the end of September.
Too Much Money Spent on Campaigns, Elections
Rocky Dawuni urged Ghanaians to take proactive steps to improve their own conditions rather than relying solely on political promises.
He bemoaned the situation where politicians spend more on political campaigns and elections rather than on initiatives to improve the lives of citizens.
“We are investing and spending way too much money on just campaigns and elections rather than putting it into strategic development initiatives to elevate our people, and I feel that we have to also take the mindset that if you don’t do it for yourself, don’t put your trust in someone else to come and change the conditions.”
Rocky Dawuni
He outlined his visions for a cleaner environment, advocating for the preservation of waterways, reforestation, and a transition to renewable green energy.
He also highlighted the importance of providing opportunities for youth in agriculture.
Rocky Dawuni encouraged individuals to focus on tangible efforts that can transform their lives and communities, rather than waiting to cast a ‘life-changing’ vote.
“And all of these ideas that I feel socially can be impactful to transform you, the individual, rather than waiting for, the vote that you’re going to cast is going to change your life, which we know that a vote can never change your life,” Rocky Dawuni said.
Ghana goes to the polls on December 7, 2024, to elect a President and Parliamentarians. As the date approaches, political campaigns have been intensified with politicians using different strategies to woo the electorates.
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